There are two kinds of clam chowder, or so I have lazily assumed all these years.
According to Wiki, “The two types of clam chowders that most people have heard of are New England and Manhattan. New England clam chowder is traditionally cream based and ‘white.’ Manhattan clam chowder contains chunks of tomato and is ‘red.’ ”
Growing up with New England clam chowder certainly instilled in me a love of cream-based soups in all their glorious calories.
I don’t believe I have ever tried the Manhattan version. It just does not look right.
But after spending a recent golf weekend at Long Island Sound outside New Haven, I was reacquainted with something called Rhode Island clam chowder. Which is my new favorite way to have clam chowder.
Eating it brought back repressed memories of clamming as a youth on Cape Cod and watching the adults make a clam-broth-based chowder. With bacon and fresh-as-can-be clams. This chowder, then and now, really outclasses the others. It is the essence of clams. The liquid for the chowder is made from cooking clams in water, then straining the water. Then the clams are chopped. Meanwhile, in another pan, bacon is sautéing along with onions and potatoes. To which is added the clam broth and chopped clams.
It truly tastes of the ocean in a bowl.
I’m just not sure why I had to take a trip from western Massachusetts to the Connecticut shore to rediscover Rhode Island clam chowder that I had on Cape Cod as a kid.
— LOU
I am not a big fan of thick and creamy clam chowder. Where the spoon could stand up straight in the bowl. I like what I call a deconstructed clam chowder. Clams in the shell cooked with their own broth with potatoes, onions and bacon or lardon. Maybe a touch of cream. I have had that at the Blackfish Grill in Truro and a restaurant on the water in Newport, Rhode Island. So good.
—LUCY
P.S. I am retiring in two weeks. As you know, I’m sure, Lou is already retired. My question to our readers, should we keep writing Lou and Lucy’s Leftovers? Or hang it up? Let us know what you think.
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